Rhubarb Lemonade by Oskar Kroon is about a young woman called Vinga who is in between childhood and adulthood. A sweet coming of age story set in Sweden.

Grandpa used to make maps for me when I was little. Back then it was maps of the garden, which almost always ended under the lilac bush where he had left me a licorice pipe or some other treasure.

Vinga’s parents have separated. She misses her dad and her mother is sad all the time. Her grandfather lives on an island and she is happy to escape her home life to spend the summer with him. She has a strong bond with her grandfather. They share a similar quirkiness and they both love the sea.

The sea holds so much. In the evening it looks empty, but beneath the surface it is undulating and alive. There are secrets down there. And in the sky. Up there, where dark shadows appear, followed by stars at night. So big, so far away. 

Over the summer Vigna works on restoring an old boat and dreams of becoming a sailor like her grandfather. One day Ruth, an outgoing, confident and talkative young woman appears and the two girls become friends. Ruth doesn’t like the slow pace on the island and is afraid of the sea. It’s a case of opposites attract.

You have to know how everything works. You have to know exactly where each chock goes to get the right result. And it has to be this very specific kind of chock…It’s so precise. The curve of the boat isn’t for beauty’s sake. It is beautiful because it’s the best shape to allow the boat to float and move smoothly on the water.

Rhubarb Lemonade is a short, easy read written with a beautiful poetic lilt (even in translation). Themes include first family breakup, blended families, love, loss, mental health and trauma.